Traditional Obama to keep Magical women’s clothes troops in Djokovic casts a reflection of Afghanistan spell over Kuwait’s heritage8 beyond10 2016 Shanghai45 Min 22º Max 36º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16668- Friday, October 16, 2015 Pages 3-4 Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015 Local Spotlight Just kiddin’, seriously The death penalty scares me Is Kuwait happy? By Muna Al-Fuzai By Sahar Moussa [email protected] [email protected] very time I read about a maid receiving a death sen- tence in court, I feel pain in my heart. It usually takes few days ago, Kuwait Times published a survey from the standard of living. These factors include the feeling of Eme some time to pretend that the decision is not mine Bayt.com entitled ‘Top Cities in the Middle East and stability and security (good-to-excellent: 48 percent); the and she probably received the right end for the crime she ANorth Africa Survey 2015,’ which revealed that half of availability of healthcare facilities (good-to-excellent: 48 committed . Yet, I wonder if hanging a woman is the solu- the people living in Kuwait City are either very happy or percent); water/electricity/sewage systems (good-to-excel- tion? Why we as a society have to put two young lives in dan- somewhat happy living in their current city of residence. lent: 68 percent) and the quality of education (good-to- ger without observing and digging into the probable roots This survey was collected online with the participation of excellent: 41 percent). of the problem that lead to this devastating route?! 3,613 respondents out of around 4,044,500 people living in Me: Kuwait is considered to be a relatively safe place, Kuwait’s Cassation Court recently upheld a death sen- Kuwait and polled from varying nationalities. This survey but after the tragedy of the suicide attack at Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque that killed 26 people and wounded 202, it seems tence for a 22 year old Ethiopian domestic helper for killing a actually shocked me when I read it. The survey is divided into seven sections - starting with economic factors, labor no place is safe again. I believe that Kuwait should strength- Kuwaiti girl. A capital punishment verdict was issued after rights, environmental factors, standard of living, socio-cul- en its security. I cannot agree more when it comes to water the maid admitted to the public prosecution that in March tural factors, (sports, arts, culture and recreation), and and electricity - it is perfect, but the sewage system needs 2014 she took a knife and walked into the victim’s bedroom entrepreneurship. Okay, I might not have any numbers or more work in some places. The quality of education in gov- where she stabbed her several times in the chest. She con- statistics, but I do know what it is like to live as an average ernment schools is very low and doesn’t meet the stan- fessed that she killed the Kuwaiti sponsor’s 19 year old earning person in Kuwait. dards at all. But as for the private schools, well, it depends daughter, a college student, when the family were resting on the systems and how they apply it. As for the healthcare after hosting a dinner reception. According to police reports, Economic factor facilities in Kuwait, if you compare it to other countries in the maid stabbed the victim who was asleep, then locked Survey: According to the survey, 24 percent of the the MENA, I think it is relatively good, but the recent move herself inside her room before leaving her employer’s house respondents believe that the availability of jobs is either to stop providing kidney dialysis treatment for expatriates and eventually turning herself in to the police. Investigators good or excellent, while 15 percent think it is bad. Around a is just inhuman. confirmed that the maid killed the Kuwaiti because her fin- quarter believe that competitive salaries are good-to-excel- gerprints were all over the knife used in the crime. Last lent. Other important economic factors include benefits for Socio-cultural factors November, the court sentenced her to death by hanging. working parents and reasonably priced amenities. Survey: Crime rate is rated as good-to-excellent by 40 Sadly this incident was not the first of its kind and I doubt Me: Excuse me, but say what!!! Reasonably priced percent of Kuwait City respondents; a stable political envi- it will be the last. amenities? First of all, Kuwait is not like it used to be 10 ronment rated as good-to-excellent by 33 percent of Now, I believe the bottom line is that we lost two people years ago. Everything has changed. Prices have been instead of one. The victim has lost her young life. And the Kuwait City respondents, and effective law enforcement increasing insanely every year while salaries remain the rated as good and excellent by 38 percent. Others are equal maid will also be gone either when she is hanged or even if same. There is absolutely no balance between what you treatment of both genders and tolerance to different cul- she went to jail for the rest of her life. earn and what you spend. In the past years, if you go to a However such a horrific incident will not end the troubled co-op, you were able to buy all your basic needs with KD 50 tures and ideas. relations here in Kuwait between sponsor and their servants. (for the whole month), but not nowadays. Don’t let me Me: Kuwait’s crime rate is relatively low. I can’t say that Not unless we hold the courage to point fingers over whom mention the random increase in rents, transportation, even the political environment is stable because of sectarianism should be blamed for the unsettled contact among the two. food and vegetables. Regarding availability of jobs - it is here - and you can feel the tension at the Parliament. As for I believe in law. But I also believe in the need to enforce declining - if you compare it with how it was five years ago. the equal treatment of both genders and tolerance to dif- and implement laws rather than having them solely for the ferent cultures and ideas, I think Kuwait really is doing a pleasure of the beautiful way they look written on a page. So, Labor Rights good job. I believe maids in general must be given all their personal Survey: The survey showed that Kuwait City was the needs and space. That is a fact....when a maid is deprived of tenth top-scoring city in the MENA region (Middle East and Sports, arts, culture, recreation humane treatment, how can you expect her to act human? North Africa Survey) in terms of labor rights. (31%) respon- Survey: Outdoor/sports activities (28 percent), the cul- A full day off is her right and not a gift from an employer. dents believe that they have good-to-excellent end of serv- ture and arts offering (25 percent), and the availability of Whatever your excuse you are denying her a basic human ice benefits, termination rights (27%), vacation allowances family-friendly activities (25 percent) - good or excellent 21 need to have personal space and rest. Some employers (44%), wage protection system (31%), and health insurance percent ranked the availability of natural areas/landscapes and social security system (36%). argue that she might go out and get a boyfriend and get as good-to-excellent. Me: Kuwait laws protect expats and their rights and I’m pregnant. But we all know that’s just a lazy excuse. It’s illegal Me: What do you expect from a city located in the to get pregnant here without marriage and if one does so, very impressed by the end of service benefits for Kuwaitis. desert? The weather doesn’t actually help, but at the same she will end up jail. The employer will not be held responsi- But unfortunately some of the company owners don’t time, that didn’t stop MENA countries from being an amaz- ble for the maid breaking laws. respect the law. They don’t pay salaries on time; they don’t ing region. Some cities try to create social activities - bring- We forget that our helpers are people too. They have a give workers their days off; some use the law against the legal right to have time to make friends and enjoy life. They poor workers and scheme so as to deprive them of their ing artists from all over the world to do concerts and pro- are not slaves - though many are treated as such here in rights - and eventually deport them. Some workers in many mote creativity and cultural exchange. Although most Kuwait. cases don’t even have money to hire a lawyer to fight for countries in the MENA region are Islamic - but still, that did- No amount of pressure can excuse the taking of another their rights. The problem is not in the law itself but in the n’t stop them from enjoying social life. human life. lack of implementation and oversight. And don’t even get But when employers deny domestic staff even a little bit me started on the lack of laws protecting domestic workers. Entrepreneurship of relaxation and fun, a day to rest and release some of the Survey: Kuwait City ranked either good or excellent stress and pressure that all human beings feel, the only possi- Environmental factors among respondents on the following factors: the ease of ble result is that some will go crazy.